Every Season Of "Survivor" Ranked From Worst To Best (With A Spoiler-Free Section)
Where will Season 44 end up?
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I plead to the jury tonight to think a little about the 644 Survivor castaways who have competed for the million-dollar prize. For 23 years and 43 (soon to be 44) seasons, Jeff Probst has been out in the jungle (with the snakes and rats) snuffing the torches of retired Navy Seals, barrel racers, and pageant coaches. Castaways have built huts out of bamboo, run off to strategize at the well, and eaten all manners of disgusting food.
We've seen castaways create fake Hidden Immunity Idols, poop in the ocean, and compete for Pringles. They've pretended their grandmothers were dead to win rewards. They've stripped naked for peanut butter. And they've begged fellow castaways for their jackets after booting them. With 635 episodes having aired, we've seen hundreds of Immunity Challenges, Tribal Councils, and salty goodbye messages. We've seen a castaway vote out her mom, a castaway pee on another's hand, and dozens be medically evacuated. We've even watched a bug build a nest in a castaway's ear.
I have watched every single season of the show (many more than once) and believe Survivor to not only be the greatest reality television show ever aired, but perhaps the greatest television show ever (period). I know that's a hyperbolic statement, but the longevity of this franchise certainly speaks to its quality and ability to evolve over time to consistently create compelling, ageless television.
And so because I love the show so much AND because Season 44 is airing as we speak, I decided to rank the 43 seasons from worst to best. Even the worst seasons of the show are still better than most things on TV these days, so ranking them is certainly a challenge, but if you're a Survivor nerd and you don't have a season ranking then I must ask: What are you doing with your life? And of course one Season 44 has crowned its soul survivor, I will be slotting it into the pantheon as well.
Here's the criteria for my ranking:
1. How interesting is the season on an episode-by-episode level? (How many of these Tribal Councils feel predetermined, and how many are actually suspenseful?)
2. How strong is the cast? (Are they mostly forgettable, or are there big characters both pre- and post-merge? Great castaways can cover a multitude of sins.)
3. Is there inventive gameplay? (New and interesting strategy is fun to watch and keeps us on our toes.)
4. Are there iconic moments? (If classic TV moments are created, then that gets some extra points.)
5. How strong is the season's theme, the twists, and the game mechanics? (A well-executed season can help it stand out from the pack.)
6. How satisfying is the end result? (Do we like the winner? Did they deserve to win? While not always indicative of a great season, the winner certainly can tint our view on the proceeding episodes.)
Survivors, ready. GO!
43. Worlds Apart (Season 30)
Spoiler-free overview: This is a season full of unlikeable people split initially into tribes of white-collar castaways, blue-collar castaways, and no-collar castaways. The season's theme is fine (if a bit goofy), and there are some intriguing moments, but with very few people to root for and a couple of problematic figures in the mix, it's not particularly enjoyable.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: I'm putting the Dirty 30 in dead last not because the season is boring (it's not), or because there isn't interesting gameplay (although that is few and far between). I'm listing it as the worst season because the cast, as a whole, is so unlikable that as you're slogging through Worlds Apart, you don't care what the outcome will be because nearly every outcome is bad. The premise (like many in the 30s) is a bit wacky, but doesn't hinder the season as a whole much. Rather, the cast is made up of unlikeable know-it-alls (Max, Will, Joaquin), angry alpha men (Mike, Rodney, Dan), and people who seem indifferent to being there (Jenn, Hali). Jenn does provide an impressive Idol move to knock out Kelly post-merge, but then her alliance is picked off one by one (something termed "Pagonging" in Survivor, named after the Pagong tribe that was voted out in succession on the show's first season). When it comes down to Mike and the dominant alliance at the final seven, it's a little fun to watch the unsavory top dogs have to vote out one another, but it's a Pyrrhic victory for the viewers who then have to watch Mike win solely based on Immunity Challenge wins and Idol plays. This season is a grab bag of worst case scenarios for Survivor. There's Will bullying Shirin about being the victim of domestic violence. There's Dan's sexist comments, which he tried to blame on editing (and led to Jeff playing an extended clip of him during the reunion). There's Jenn and Hali voting out Nina, who is deaf, because she was upset by their few attempts to communicate with her. Even Mike, who spent most of the season expressing his Christian morals, attempts to lie to his castaways regarding letters from their loved ones to secure an advantage in the game. Truly not one even remotely likable person within an arm's length of the win.
Best strategic move: Jenn and Hali figuring out the majority alliance's target and using their Idol to bounce Kelly out of the game.
Worst strategic move: Mike trying to renege during the Survivor auction, leading to his ousting from the main alliance.
Who won: Mike.
Who should have won: Carolyn, aka Mama C. Not only was her social game much better than Mike's (although she was social with the likes of dead fish Will), but her Idol play to oust Dan was one of the season's few high points.
42. Redemption Island (Season 22)
Spoiler-free overview: Two iconic castaways return to head tribes of newbies. Unfortunately for viewers, one of the returnees had a chokehold on the game from the start, creating a predictable and boring boot order. While two or three fan favorite players appear here for the first time, the cast is largely a dud, and the Redemption Island twist is snoozy.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: This is the Boston Rob season front to back, and there is little oxygen on the island for anyone else. While the chaotic first Tribal Council in which Fransheska? Fransesqua? Francessika? gets voted out is one of the most chaotic, iconic season premieres of all time, the season quickly takes a boring pivot. Rob's Ometepe tribe dominates the struggling Zapetera tribe pre-merge (Survivor great Russell Hantz is on that tribe for a hot second, but he'd probably rather we all forget that), and then Rob meticulously eliminates the remaining Zapetera castaways before turning on his own tribe. It is impossible for me to convey how excruciatingly predictable this all is. If you want a masterclass, this is your season (he even keeps his alliance from speaking to the other tribe), but outside of federal agent and the bubbly Andrea, the cast is devoid of characters, although at least they aren't horrible like the Worlds Apart cast. The Redemption Island twist, with its many duels allowing for two castaways to return into the game, takes up a lot of screentime but ultimately does little for the game. The fact that it only appears in two subsequent seasons speaks to its failure as a game mechanic. This season also doesn't have a swap, something that would have definitely introduced intrigue. Ultimately, it's just a vehicle in which Boston Rob was allowed to Pagong 17 other castaways.
Best strategic move: Rob's masterful chokehold on his alliance including instituting the buddy system and keeping around the weakest, most malleable members.
Worst strategic move: No one from Ometepe ever attempting to make a move against Boston Rob.
Who won: Boston Rob.
Who should have won: Boston Rob. This is one of the most masterful games ever played (as boring as it was to watch).
41. Nicaragua (Season 21)
Spoiler-free overview: The tribes are divided based on age with 40-plus castaways facing off against those under 30. The results are predictable. This season also births the "medallion of power," one of the show's most useless twists, and a number of dull and/or problematic castaways. An unfortunate event post-merge also torpedos the last few episode and leaves us with one of the least satisfying winners of the franchise.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Nicaragua is sort of the slightly better lovechild of Worlds Apart and Redemption Island with a cast just a smidge less reprehensible than the former and a smidge less boring than the latter. Dividing the tribes by age sentences six of the older castaways to pre-merge eliminations, and the younger winning tribe lacks likable heroes to root for. The main reason this season sinks so low in the ranking, however, is the double quit of NaOnka and Purple Kelly at the final nine. Not only does this rob us of two of the most interesting tribals ever this season, but it also undermines the alliance that they were in, making way for one of the worst final threes in Survivor history with Sash, Chase, and Fabio (who only wins because everyone else was unlikable). The fact that only Brenda from this season was ever brought back says a lot about how weak this cast was.
Best strategic move: Brenda and Sash's split vote plan to oust Kelly B and flush Marty's Hidden Immunity Idol post-swap.
Worst strategic move: NaOnka and Kelly's double quit at the final nine.
Who won: Fabio.
Who should have won: I guess Holly, who did play somewhat strategically and was also likable, two traits that seemed extremely rare on this cast.
40. Caramoan (Season 26)
Spoiler-free overview: This is the show's second attempt at the fans versus returning players concept, and the fans are outmatched on every front (strategy, competition prowess, charisma). With half the cast down for the count, there is a lot of downtime this season, and the dominant alliance steamrolls through the game. A medical evacuation in the finale also robs the end of any suspense.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: The "vs" in this season's title is a misnomer. Only one returnee player was actually voted out (if you don't count Brandon Hantz's exit while Jeff massaged his shoulders), while six "fans" (I take issue with that term here) are clipped before the merge (not that we're missing out on much). This leads to Dawn and Cochran (Dochran) effectively cakewalking to the finale. Malcolm, Reynold, and Eddie's ability to oust Phillip is exciting, but ultimately doesn't threaten Dochran. Andrea's blindside at the final seven is another high point, but one followed by Brenda's gut-wrenching exit, and then Erik (the sole threat to Dochran) being medically evacuated at the final five, leaving Dochran unchecked yet again. Watching this season feels akin to watching one of the recent Big Brother seasons where the majority just push on while the minority continue to flounder in their creation of an opposition. Cochran facing off against the much weaker Dawn and Sherri also yields a dull final. Thankfully Brenda is there to create one of Survivor's most chaotic moments when she forces Dawn to take out her fake teeth on national television only to not vote for her anyway.
Best strategic move: Cochran's blindside of Brenda with a 3-2-1 vote split.
Worst strategic move: Corinne's hastiness to eliminate Phillip, which comes back to bite her.
Who won: Cochran.
Who should have won: I suppose Cochran, although I love the alternate timeline in which Erik stays, wins the last two Immunity Challenges (not a big ask), and creates one of the greatest two-season-long redemption arcs in the franchise.
39. Survivor 41 (Season 41)
Spoiler-free overview: The first post-COVID season is shorter (26 days rather than the standard 39) and filled with WAAAAAAAAAAAY more twists that the pre-COVID versions. This frenzy is counterbalanced with the lack of a swap and one severely under-edited tribe leading to something that feels both messy and yet boring. The season feels a bit stiff and never really hits its stride, sort of like a car sputtering after it's been in the garage for too long.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Some seasons of Survivor suffer because of the casting (the players aren't good TV) or the strategy (the castaways don't know what they're doing). This season's mishaps lie solely in the hands of the Survivor production. Inundated with all manners of twists (many of which don't pay off), the castaways are a bit flummoxed, and many of the twists are chance-based, meaning strategy becomes less important. Someone had the bright idea of forcing castaways to say ridiculous phrases repeatedly to activate their Idols (which makes the whole show seem like a joke). The votes are read in the jungle, and there is no reunion show (this has to do with COVID a bit, but still is frustrating). But the most aggravating thing about Survivor 41 is its wonky editing. I think because of the shortened length, there isn't a swap on this season (always a poor choice) or even a condensing from three tribes to two (something that makes the small pre-merge tribals a bit boring). This, however, leads to the blue Luvu tribe entering the merge (or whatever this season's fake merge thing was called) with six of the 12 players. Because they never went to Tribal though, the show didn't spend much time introducing us to them, meaning we barely knew half of the merge tribe. Once strategic leaders Evvie and Shan went out back-to-back, then the last few episodes included a boring group of people who viewers couldn't really root for. When Erika (a member of Luvu) finally wins in a landslide, we have no idea why as we haven't seen much of her game (and we don't get a winner's package because there isn't a reunion). This season wasn't horrific, but it did feel disappointing, especially given that some great castaways (Tiff, Ricard, Xander, Erika) were saddled with bad production choices.
ALSO, why did they choose to just call the seasons by their numbers? That's so annoying to me after 20 years of fun season titles. GAH!
Best strategic move: Xander sussing out Liana's Knowledge Is Power advantage and giving his Idol to Tiff for safekeeping.
Worst strategic move: Shan and Ricard agreeing to target one another rather than sticking together as allies, ultimately ending in both going home.
Who won: Erika.
Who should have won: Hard to say given the editing, but I guess Erika since she won in such a landslide.
38. Survivor 43 (Season 43)
Spoiler-free overview: Survivor 43 is delivering very similar energy as Survivor 41. It's a short season with no swap, too many advantages, unmemorable players, and recycled versions of twists from 41 and 42 that felt stale. It alternated between episodes where seemingly nothing happened and episodes so convoluted that I felt like the math lady meme.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: This post-Season 40 era of Survivor seems to be wandering a bit, much as they did in the early 20s, trying to uncover a new secret sauce to greatness. The shorter season, while obviously cheaper to produce, makes the pre-merge less than two weeks long, which seems to have put the kibosh on a tribe swap. This made the pre-merge boots pretty boring and the tribe dynamics predictable. To make up for this, producers have injected dozens of twists (lose votes, steal votes, extra votes, idols, idol nullifiers, beware advantages, etc.) into the game to spice up the Tribal Councils. The result in Survivor 43, for me at least, was a lot of confusion and a hard time remembering what all was at play at any given Tribal Council. The pre-merge was also cluttered with a pre-taped package illuminating past traumas for nearly every player, which left me with difficulty remembering which tragic backstory matched with which castaway. While the annoying secret phrases gimmick of 41 and 42 was gone, we had to watch players collect magic beads three times, and the expeditions to the "risk-my-vote" island were cloying as well. Thankfully the smashed hourglass twist from 41 and 42 was also gone, but the few votes after the pre-merge were so chaotic between the dozen or so advantages at play on top of tribe dynamics that I gave up even paying attention. The Dwight vote-out at the final 11 was nearly unwatchable. The split Tribal Council at 10 FINALLY got the season into a good groove, which lasted through the Noelle, Sami, Cody, and Karla boots, but the Gabler win (after he was depicted as unreliable, paranoid, and a non-factor most of the season) deflated whatever good will the previous episodes had built. Plus compared to 42 (and even 41) the cast was just a bit meh.
Best strategic move: Jesse's elimination of Cody at the final six, while also flushing Karla's idol, will go down in history as one of the greats.
Worst strategic move: Everyone passing their idols to competitors for safe keeping. I get that the Knowledge Is Power advantage was lurking, but that's all the more reason to just keep your idol a secret in the first place.
Who won: Gabler.
Who should have won: Jesse if he'd made it to the finale, and Cassidy if you're picking between the finalists.
37. Thailand (Season 5)
Spoiler-free overview: Thailand provides a unique backdrop, some one-of-a-kind challenges, and the most beautiful Tribal Council set in the show's history. Unfortunately, it also ends with a group of unlikable individuals marching to the end predictably. Because of its negative reputation and an instance of sexual harassment that is frustratingly brushed aside, the season's charms are often overlooked, BUT you do have to hunt around through some bleak moments to find them.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Thailand is the season of Survivor the show would like you to forget. Only Shii Ann has ever returned, and it never seems to make it into those highlight montages they play from time to time. While lots of people would rank this season dead last, I think the setting and its uniqueness (the cave camp, the swim to the well, the fish-sorting challenge) are enough to bump it above the likes of Worlds Apart and Survivor 41, which could take place on any beach in the world. I also ADORE Helen, and believe she is one of the most (if not the most) underrated players of the series. Her quippy one-liners. Her evening singing. Her no-nonsense mentality. The fact she wasn't brought back was a crime, and enough to rank this season higher than Nicaragua, which couldn't produce a single star. But Sook Jai's Pagonging by Chuay Gahn is difficult to watch, especially when Chuay Gahn includes Brian, the slimy used car salesman, the sexist Clay, and Ted, whose sexual harassment of Ghandia results in her elimination rather than his early on. That follows, of course, a pre-merge with no swap, and the fake-merge twist that resulted in the bad guys taking power. Plus the Clay vs. Brian final is truly a race for the bottom in which people are voting on who is less terrible. BUT HELEN, THO!
Best strategic move: Clay's combative attitude at the final Tribal Council, insulting some members and refusing to answer the questions of others.
Worst strategic move: Brian making a final two alliance with everyone in his larger alliance, and playing them off one another to go to the end with Clay.
Who won: Brian.
Who should have won: Obviously Helen. Helen on Winners at War would have been iconic.
36. All-Stars (Season 8)
Spoiler-free overview: This is Survivor's first foray into the returning player genre with 18 former favorites returning. Unfortunately, its early episodes are mired with an unfortunate series of events that result in quits and evacuations. A witch hunt of the previous winners, a post-merge Pagonging, and a bitter jury don't help this season's case either.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: I think sticking All-Stars so low is a bit controversial as it includes a TON of iconic Survivor players and is the birthplace of the show's greatest romance: that of Boston Rob and Amber (or "Ambah" if you're Rob). A general thought I have on returnee seasons is that in order for it to work, all the returnees have to be of the same general caliber. If all the players are greats or all the players are mediocre, we get a fun, even playing field. If, however, a few legends are thrown in with some filler "all-stars," you end up with the greats getting picked off early and a disappointing crew in the end game. Such is the case with All-Stars, where players like Tina, Rob Cesternino, Ethan, and Richard get the bump early, and we're left with Jenna Lewis and Amber in the final three. Jenna Lewis's "lets vote out the winners" strategy isn't helped by Rudy's injury, Jenna Morasca's quit, and Sue's exit following a disturbing incident where Richard allegedly rubbed up against her naked during a challenge. The post-merge is all Boston Rob and Amber voting out fan favorites (Kathy, Lex, Big Tom, Colby) and then the angry jury browbeating Rob and giving Amber the million out of spite. It's just sort of a long, unpleasant march, even though the cast is stacked and we get some glorious moments like Rupert trying to build an underground shelter.
Best strategic move: Rob convincing Lex to keep Amber during the tribe swap, only to vote him out post-merge.
Worst strategic move: Rupert, Big Tom, and Jenna not aligning to vote out Amber at the final five.
Who won: Amber.
Who should have won: Rob.
35. One World (Season 24)
Spoiler-free overview: While the premise of the season (having both tribes live on the same beach) is compelling (and I'd argue should be tried again), it didn't pan out because the two tribes hated each other and built separate camps anyway. While the cast is full of duds, there are a couple of standouts, and a very satisfying winner makes it slightly more enjoyable.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: In many ways, this is the better version of Redemption Island, because like Boston Rob, Kim is steamrolling the competition from the jump, and like Redemption Island the cast has plenty of duds, but unlike Redemption Island there are a few individuals breeding chaos. Not always in a good way, but at least in a watchable way. The pre-merge is MESSY. Colton is toxic (but not racist because his housekeeper is Black) and then quits. Alicia is a bully to Christina for no apparent reason. Challenges are thrown. Without Colton, however, the post merge is really quite dull as Kim's all-girls alliance sends home four very forgettable men in a row before nixing the annoying and occasionally inappropriate duo of Troyzan and Tarzan (post-asking Chelsea about her boob job). Kim is masterful, and the Kat/Alicia drama gives a little lift to the end of the season, but ultimately it's just not that fun to watch someone win without any competition.
Best strategic move: Kim's vice grip on the game and ability to be in every single alliance at once.
Worst strategic move: Alicia and Christina voting out Tarzan rather than taking a swing at Kim/Sabrina/Chelsea at the final 6.
Who won: Kim.
Who should have won: Kim.
34. Vanuatu (Season 9)
Spoiler-free overview: Vanuatu is a men vs. women season that suffers from a men's tribe without a single interesting player on the board. The women are bringing a lot more drama, and there is a strong string of episodes in the back half where the women target one another, but the ultimate end is frustrating.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Like One World, Vanuatu follows a dominant women's alliance as it dismantles a weaker men's alliance. The pre-merge is fairly average, and the Pagonging of the men's tribe is snoozy as well. What bumps this season up a slot is the fact that the women's alliance doesn't have a dominant force. Leann's blindside is compelling, and then watching Ami, Twila, and Eliza battle against one another creates an interesting push toward the finale. Unfortunately, after Eliza is voted out, we're left with Scout, Twila, and the sole remaining man Chris, none of whom really deserve to win. Vanuatu as a locale is also one of the more boring choices in a series of creative early season filming spots.
Best strategic move: Chris and Twila realizing they can turn Eliza on her old alliance to vote out Leann and give their foursome with Scout the numbers.
Worst strategic move: Julie, Leanne, and Ami being messy and arrogant while there were still enough people left in the game to vote them out.
Who won: Chris.
Who should have won: Ami, even though she finished sixth. She was the dominant force of strategy on the show, and if she'd just decided to cut Chris at the final seven, she would have easily won the game.
33. Island of the Idols (Season 39)
Spoiler-free overview: The season was originally touted as one in which two legends of the game return to coach the new castaways on a secret island twist. However, that narrative quickly took a back seat to a sexual harassment case (and production's poor handling of it) that dominated the season. While not a particularly pleasant season, it is worth watching from a sociological level.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Plenty of people would rank Island of the Idols dead last on a season ranking, which I think is entirely valid. Boston Rob and Sandra returning to coach (aka trick, taunt, and heckle) new castaways is a fun idea (although the season's winner never visited them, rendering it a bit inconsequential). I'd personally love to watch Rob and Sandra commentate every Tribal Council though. Unfortunately, the season is mired in the repeated sexual harassment of the female castaways by Dan, which was not properly addressed, and therefore allowed to continue until the final days of the season. It's impossible to separate this horrifying incident from the gameplay of the season, and I'm not trying to. The reason why I'm ranking this relatively high in comparison to others is that I think it is a painfully realistic depiction of how privilege and power allow predators to continue, often with others enabling their actions. This season should be mandatory viewing in HR sexual harassment training. It's like watching a real time, documentary version of The Assistant set within the power structure of a reality TV show. The way many castaways allow Dan to continue his disgusting behavior rather than voting him out because it is "better for their game" mirrors real-life workplace harassment that's left unchecked. It's a heartbreaking season and horribly mishandled by the producers, who only ejected Dan, weeks too late, after an incident supposedly involving a crew member. If part of Survivor's mission is to shed a light on society through the microcosm of the game, this is a powerful (albeit disturbing) example. Power structures always protect predators, and Island of the Idols is a clear, compelling, gut-wrenching depiction of that. The seasons lower on the list weren't compelling depictions of much of anything.
Best strategic move: Karishma playing her Idol to eliminate Elizabeth.
Worst strategic move: Production allowing Dan Spiro to remain in the game post-various harassment allegations.
Who won: Tommy.
Who should have won: Give the win to Kellee. If her female tribemates had protected her and sent Dan home, we'd have had a very different post-merge.
32. Marquesas (Season 4)
Spoiler-free overview: With one of the show's earliest true blindsides, Marquesas moved the strategy forward, while also including a handful of interesting characters and iconic moments. There are plenty of predictable vote-outs though, and it ultimately feels very average for Survivor.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: It speaks to how damn fantastic Survivor as a franchise is that we're only at 32, and we're already getting to some incredible moments. The early goings of Marquesas are entertaining as the Maraamu tribe, led by Boston Rob, sustain repeated losses while the Rotu tribe resembles a hippie commune. This brings us the Rob/Sarah showmance, Sarah's "Cleopatra entrance," and Kathy peeing on John's hand. Post-merge we also get the incredible power shift when John is sent home by a cobbled together underdog alliance in the wake of his disastrous performance in the coconut chop challenge. This, however, leads to a series of predictable votes as the boring Rotu members are shipped out one by one. The purple rock moment at the final four is the stuff of Survivor legend, but that leads to Vecepia's ultimate win, which, while deserved, feels a bit out of nowhere. Some high highs, but lots of average.
Best strategic move: Vecepia making a deal with Neleh to step down in the final Immunity Challenge if Neleh takes her to the end over Kathy.
Worst strategic move: The Rotu Four blatantly exposing their alliance at the coconut chop challenge, leading the other five to align and Pagong the Rotu Four.
Who won: Vecepia.
Who should have won: Vecepia or Kathy, who had played a very strong game but was outmaneuvered by V, when she lost her balance first in the final Immunity Challenge while fixing her top.
31. Palau (Season 10)
Spoiler-free overview: This is a one-of-a-kind season because we watch one tribe dwindle down to a single member before being absorbed into the dominant tribe. This lack of a merge makes for a compelling early game, but the back half of the season is dull.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Palau is really about two people, each of whom gets half the season to shine. The first (and more interesting) half follows Stephenie and the Ulong tribe as it loses every single Immunity Challenge, forcing the elimination of everyone but her. While this is fascinating to watch simply because it is unlike any other season of the show, Stephenie is dispensed with quickly post-absorption, and we transition into the dull Koror section, where Tom dominates in a Kim/Boston Rob-style march to the win. No one puts up the slightest amount of resistance to him, and his biggest threat for the win, Ian, quits at the final three to allow Tom the win. The dramatic, almost theatrical, arch of the first half makes this season better than Marquesas imho, but the back half really is watching the (largely non-charismatic) Koror tribe shoot themselves in the feet while Tom steps over them.
Best strategic move: Tom's dominance in challenges and leadership, which left him vulnerable to be eliminated at only three Tribal Councils the whole season.
Worst strategic move: No one ever targeting Ian and Tom despite them being the obvious threats and outnumbered.
Who won: Tom.
Who should have won: Tom.
30. Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers (Season 35)
Spoiler-free overview: Easily one of the most ludicrous, cockamamie themes (and season names) of the series saw castaways split up into tribes of "heroes," "healers," and "hustlers." (How is an actuary a hero? Why is a surf instructor a hustler? Only God and Jeff Probst know.) This season has a pretty unlikable, unsatisfying final three, and introduces a controversial end-of-season game mechanic, but is replacement level for the most part.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Post-Season 30, it's rare to get a truly boring season of the show thanks to the sheer number of twists and advantages at play. Pagongings are increasingly hard to come by. While this season is pretty interesting pre-merge, it sputters a bit post-merge where three Healers are voted out one after another. We then get the unfortunate development of Chrissy and Ben both winning their way to the finals — the grating, patting-herself-on-the-back-a-little-too-much Chrissy through Immunity Challenge wins and the volatile, crybaby Ben through Hidden Immunity Idols. It's difficult to watch more compelling castaways (Lauren, Joe, Mike) get sent home while these two bicker their way to the finals. The gameplay feels more exciting in the moment than that in, say, Palau or Marquesas, where everything is pre-determined, but it leads to a similar result, as the finalists were never really in danger. The final four fire-making competition (which lessens the importance of a strong social game) is also introduced here (tin foil hat wearers would say in order to get Ben to the end), and my annoyance regarding that twist, coupled with the annoyance toward Ben and Chrissy (don't get me started on goat Ryan) make me salty.
Best strategic move: Devon's vote for Mike at the final five, saving himself when Ben played an Idol.
Worst strategic move: The majority alliance not splitting the vote at the final seven, leaving Ben able to pick who goes home after using his Idol.
Who won: Ben.
Who should have won: Ugh. Devon, if they'd kept the final four vote as before and they'd sent Ben home there.
29. Ghost Island (Season 36)
Spoiler-free overview: Ghost Island as a twist and/or theme is largely a nonentity here. This is pretty average Survivor with some fun characters, blind sides, and firsts. The deserving finalists, however, move through the game largely unchecked, which isn't fun to watch.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Finalists Wendell and Domenick deliver a lite version of Boston Rob/Kim/Tom here as they manage to snow the bland Laurel and her erratic sidekick Donathan into allowing them to waltz to the final. Unlike Palau, however, there is a lot of fun gameplay swirling about even as it largely misses Wendell and Dom. Chris, Bradley, Michael, and Kellyn are all exciting, smart players (although perhaps not as smart as they think they are). The post-merge split tribals was an exciting introduction to the game, and Michael's Idol play was compelling. Angela's ability to deep throat a sea slug is also something to BEHOLD. The tie at the final Tribal Council between two deserving players made the finale exciting in a way it normally isn't (*cough* Chrissy and Ben *cough*), but Laurel's Ian-like adverseness to winning did make the only unknown which of the two would win rather than who would make the final.
Best strategic move: Wendell's ability to keep Laurel in the alliance and ultimately get her to give him the win.
Worst strategic move: Laurel never making a move against Wendell and Domenick, who dragged her to the end to no-votes.
Who won: Wendell.
Who should have won: Wendell.
28. South Pacific (Season 23)
Spoiler-free overview: Cursed with Redemption Island and a Pagonging, South Pacific should be much lower on the list. Aided by some compelling figures, however, it takes on an almost poetic, Greek tragedy energy that turns it into something greater than the sum of its parts.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: The premise here is identical to that of Redemption Island with Ozzy and Coach subbing in for Rob and Russell. From the jump though, the cast here is running laps around the non-entities on Redemption Island. Pre-merge characters like Semhar, Christine, Stacey, and Papa Bear bring life to the first half, and the rivalry between Upolu and Savaii is gripping (to the point that Ozzy asks to be voted out on behalf of his tribe to win a Redemption island duel and give them a fighting chance post-merge). Cochran's betrayal of Savaii into the cult-like alliance of Coach's Upolu therefore is on Et tu, Brute levels, and it's delicious to watch Upolu turn around and axe him once his purpose has been served. While that Pagonging is a bit dull, Ozzy's second return, the fall of Brandon Hantz, and the Upolu infighting make the end game compelling, and Sophie's eventual win and final Tribal Council roasting of Coach is so satisfying (again in an almost Shakespearean way). I think this is the line of demarcation between "meh" seasons and good seasons.
Best strategic move: Sophie's manipulation of Coach and use of his religious, cult-like tactics to get her to the end of the game.
Worst strategic move: Brandon giving up Individual Immunity and being voted out at that Tribal Council.
Who won: Sophie.
Who should have won: Sophie.
27. Cook Islands (Season 14)
Spoiler-free overview: The infamous "race wars" season with tribes of white, Black, Asian, and Latinx castaways. With 20 castaways, there is a LOT of canon fodder here, and the show leaves most of them underdeveloped. While I think this one looms larger in people's minds because of some iconic castaways, it's largely run-of-the-mill.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Cecilia. J.P. Stephannie. Cristina. Brad. Rebecca. Jenny. What do these people have in common? They are all castaways from this season who I could not pick out of a lineup if you paid me (and you can throw in Becky and Sundra as well). The show expanded their cast to 20 divided onto four tribes for the first time in Cook Islands and did not know how to develop their characters (especially the non-white ones). While the gameplay isn't exactly dull, it's not thrilling either, especially in the first half. Post-merge it's fun to watch the underdog Aitu 4 work to dismantle the white people alliance, though largely thanks to Ozzy's challenge prowess and Yul's strategic mind. Of course this season also gives us the Billy/Candace "romance," Cao Boi's invention of the split vote, the Candace/Jonathan rivalry, and the birth of Parvati — so, plenty of highs. Minus Becky (whose fire-making competition is iconic for all the wrong reasons), the final is one of the best matchups on the show as brains and brawn clash in the form of Ozzy and Yul. This season is worse than you remember it being, but is still a fun watch.
Best strategic move: Yul's leveraging of the Idol to sway Jonathan to his side and take the numbers at the merge.
Worst strategic move: The other eight members of the merged tribe never attempting to eliminate Yul's Idol or vote him out.
Who won: Yul.
Who should have won: Yul.
26. Edge of Extinction (Season 38)
Spoiler-free overview: Four all-stars return to compete with a bunch of newbies on a season that introduces a new twist: losers are sent to a rocky, bleak island, where they fight for the chance to reenter the game. Some great gameplay and fun characters, however, are undermined by this twist and the season's ultimate outcome.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Alternative title: "The Twist That Backfired." Nowhere on this list is there a less satisfying winner than Chris, who was voted out third only to hang out with the jury all season, and return to be handed the million by his Edge of Extinction besties. The ending is so frustrating that I dragged this season down a few spots just because of it. The cast is fantastic and filled with exciting newbies (Victoria, Lauren, Devens, Wardog) supplemented by the four returning favorites. This season gives us salty Kelley Wentworth, Wendy setting the chickens free, the Ron blindside, and that montage of Aubry using the same tired lines to cull up an alliance before being blindsided. There is a lot here to love, but a winner who was on the island for just 13 days is a biiiiiiiiiiiiig miss.
Best strategic move: Chris's post-return sequence of events calibrated perfectly to give the jury just enough reason to vote for him.
Worst strategic move: Lauren playing her Idol on Chris at the final six rather than saving it for herself at the final five.
Who won: Chris.
Who should have won: Gavin, Devens, or Lauren if it weren't for the Edge of Extinction twist.
25. The Australian Outback (Season 2)
Spoiler-free overview: The most-watched season of the franchise was Australia. It's ICONIC (in all caps) and features an all-star cast (half of whom have returned to play again). After the success of Borneo, however, they reeeeeeaaaaallllllyyyyyy stretched out the season, and the post-merge is boring.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Like Cook Islands, this is a more boring season than you remember it being. Yes. It is iconic. Michael falls in the fire, Colby and Jerri feud, Alicia will always point her finger in Kimmi's face, Kel sneaks in beef jerky, and the whole camp is washed away in a flood. BUT aside from those moments, this season is pretty straightforward. The pre-merge is full of your standard early season non-strategic votes, and after Michael is evacuated, the Kucha tribe is basically Pagonged, starting with Jeff on a no-longer-applicable, former votes technicality. Colby, Keith, and Tina basically dictate the entire boot order, and it is a slow crawl to a finale that begins with only three people left (in comparison to six in some recent seasons). Really, Jerri is the main reason this season is interesting at all post-merge, and once she's gone, we get nothing (except endless product placement). If it weren't a stone cold classic, I would have ranked this one even lower. It should also be noted that this is the season that gave us Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the show's first (and perhaps only) actual major celebrity to get her start here.
Best strategic move: Ogakor voting out Jeff at the merge because they knew he had a previous vote.
Worst strategic move: Colby taking Tina to the end.
Who won: Tina.
Who should have won: Tina. If Colby wanted to win, he should have brought along Keith.
24. Fiji (Season 14)
Spoiler-free overview: What was supposed to be Race Wars #2, was thrown into a tailspin when one player dropped out last minute, meaning the producers pivoted themes last minute to Haves and Have Nots. The tribe with the luxurious camp obviously steamrolls pre-merge, but the introduction of Hidden Immunity Idols really spices this up, and some intrigue surrounding a reward challenge makes this one worth watching.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: The modern Hidden Immunity Idol's arrival in this season is really a game changer. Super Idols had been in play before, but this is the first season with the modern Idol, which Yao-man finds on Exile Island and uses correctly. We also get the creation of the fake Idol here, and the plenty of intrigue swirling around split votes. The cast has less dead weight than Cook Islands, its counterpart, did, and while there is a slight Pagonging of the Four Horsemen alliance, everything is much more fluid than it is in, say, Australia because of the tribe swap. Watching the underdogs, Yao-man and Earl, duck and weave to the end is satisfying. Yes, there are some unsavory characters like Rocky, Boo, and Lisi in the mix, and we watch Dreamz renege on his promise to Yao regarding his trade of Individual Immunity for a car, but even that is great (albeit heartbreaking) TV. I think this one is generally underrated.
Best strategic move: Stacy's move to destroy the Four Horsemen by voting out Edgardo rather than Alex or Mookie while leaving Dreamz out of the vote.
Worst strategic move: Dreamz agreeing to take the car in exchange for Individual Immunity and then going back on his word. It ended up being a lose/lose situation that really tanked his chances in the final.
Who won: Earl.
Who should have won: Earl.
23. Game Changers (Season 34)
Spoiler-free overview: Game Changers is an all-returning-player season, this time touting supposed "game changers." The mileage on that term varies greatly, and most of the inarguable "game changers" get the boot early, leading to plenty of fireworks but an ultimately unsatisfying ending.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: As I argued with All-Stars, Game Changers suffers from an uneven cast where greats like Sandra, Malcolm, JT, and Tony get voted out early, leaving the likes of Worlds Apart's Sierra and Blood vs. Water's Brad Culpepper. The gameplay is obviously strong with plenty of great blindsides as the actual game changers gun for one another. The exciting two-tribe pre-merge tribal that sends Malcolm home. Sandra getting JT voted out over her. The Andrea blindside. And seeing legends like Cirie and Sandra prove why they've earned that title, by surviving more tribals than they should, is a pleasure. While the gameplay is stronger than in Fiji or Edge of Extinction, it only moves a few slots higher in the ranking. Jeff Varner's outing of Zeke as trans looms large over the back half of the season. Cirie's attempt to steal Sarah's advantage only to be blocked by Jeff Probst at Tribal is awkward, and her eventual ouster at the final six SOLELY because she doesn't have one of the season's seemingly 500 advantages is ridiculously frustrating. That frustration grows stronger when the final three includes Brad and Troyzan, easily two of the least dynamic members on the cast. Sarah is an acceptable winner, but not a particularly satisfying one given the caliber of her competition.
Best strategic move: Sarah's flipping back and forth between alliances to eliminate big threats before settling with the weaker Tai, Troyzan, and Brad alliance to go to the end with.
Worst strategic move: The more powerful, threatening players all targeting each other rather than voting out the goats.
Who won: Sarah.
Who should have won: Cirie. She was not getting any votes at the final six where she was eliminated on a technicality, and she is the greatest player never to win.
22. Gabon (Season 17)
Spoiler-free overview: Oh me, oh my. If you are a fan of mess, then this is the season for you. Set against the unique Gabonese backdrop, this is a season where all the solid players seem to get voted out early, leaving a ramshackle band of misfits at the end. This season also contains the saltiest, meanest, sharpest insults from the whole show (challenged only by Courtney in China).
Spoiler-filled thoughts: If you are looking for strong gameplay from strategic minds, look elsewhere. This is a "the inmates are running the asylum"-type season, and I am living for every second of it. And while great players like Kim and Boston Rob's control on the game was masterful, it leads to boring, predictable seasons. Gabon is a season of wild cards from the jump, but the few bland, normal critical thinkers (Jacquie, Marcus, Charlie) are booted early, paving the way for a battle between the chaotic likes of Sugar, Crystal, and Susie as they take on the acidic tongues of Randy and Corinne. Crystal's voting out of Randy, the GIF of Matty when Marcus is eliminated, and Corinne's one-liners are just a few examples of the glistening chaos. We should have known that's where the season was headed when Marcus's penis appeared on prime-time CBS in the season premiere unedited. Sugar's horrible choice to take Bob to the end over Matty somehow feels right for this season, and even though Bob is a more likable winner than Susie, Sugar, or Matty, I do wish I lived in a universe where one of those three terrible players managed to win on their own merits.
Best strategic move: Crystal and Ken managing to convince Susie to vote out Marcus right before the merge.
Worst strategic move: Sugar not voting Bob out at the final four.
Who won: Bob.
Who should have won: I guess Bob? Maybe Ken. Although it probably would have been Susie if Sugar hadn't handed Bob the win.
21. Samoa (Season 19)
Spoiler-free overview: This season is all about one ingenious, evil, underdog "gremlin," crawling through a season of bland nobodies and cutting them off at the knees. Only one castaway really matters in this season, but watching him is electric.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: This season in many ways is the mirror of Redemption Island. They both feature Russell Hantz. The both have one dominant personality and plenty of boring canon fodder. They both follow their leading man as he drags goats to the end and sits at the finish having defeated one final athletic challenger at the last possible chance. But unlike Redemption Island, which puts Boston Rob in the driver's seat from the jump, Samoa is an underdog story about Russell coming from behind, sewing discourse on his way to the finals, which is WAY more watchable. He burns clothes, he lies about being a firefighter during Hurricane Katrina, he finds Hidden Immunity Idols without clues, and he pisses off everyone in the process. While this season would rank higher if it had a few more compelling characters (Laura and Shambo are the best we can do), Russell sucks up so much screentime that it really doesn't matter who else is there. They are all foils to him anyway. Russell was the steroid injection the franchise needed heading into its 10th year, and his back-to-back seasons were a ratings boon. The fact that he ultimately lost to the doe-eyed Natalie (whom he thought was too dumb to be a threat) and watching him pout at the reunion are the karmic retribution I crave as well. This is more of a character study than a great season, but a study interesting enough to beat out Game Changers and Fiji.
Best strategic move: Russell Hantz looking for Hidden Immunity Idols without clues and using one to oust Kelly.
Worst strategic move: John not going to rocks at the final 10 and ensuring his tribes Pagonging.
Who won: Natalie.
Who should have won: I love that Natalie beats Russell, but I think Russell winning would have also been a satisfying ending, although for different reasons.
20. Africa (Season 3)
Spoiler-free overview: This old-school season is exciting to watch for many reasons, the first being that the show seems intent on murdering one of the castaways. There is plenty of danger here along with the original tribe swap and plenty of fun characters.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: There are lions prowling around the camp at night. Everyone is drinking elephant dung water and getting parasites. And they're drinking cow blood for a challenge. Africa is a wild season, and the dangerous desert locale is unlike anything else you've seen (sorry Samoa and Fiji). The tribe swap brings some intrigue to this season that Australia doesn't have, and even though there is a bit of a Pagonging here post-merge, the gameplay (from T-Bird and Lex and Ethan) is a bit more devilish. Frank and Brandon's rivalry, Big Tom's dance regarding getting to eat ham, and the goat-herding challenge are all high points. Ethan's win also feels very deserved.
Best strategic move: Ethan and Kim J. playing the swap perfectly, throwing the first challenge to vote out Silas, and signaling the other Boran members to vote out Lindsey because of her previous votes.
Worst strategic move: Brandon voting out Kelly instead of Lex and giving the Boran alliance the majority.
Who won: Ethan.
Who should have won: Ethan, but Lex would also have been a great winner.
19. Panama: Exile Island (Season 12)
Spoiler-free overview: Panama begins with one of the wonkiest tribe divisions (older men, older women, younger men, younger women) that yields obvious results early in the game. While half the cast is a snooze, one of the post-swap tribes is among the most dynamic the show has ever seen, and we get stellar gameplay from huge characters.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Panama is a little bit like Gabon in that it's a shitshow, but the chaos is contained to one tribe, and the ending is more satisfying. Panama is a little like Samoa in that it's a character study, but rather than just Russell, we get Cirie, Shane, Danielle, Aras, Courtney, and Bruce (the Casaya tribe that I would argue might be the best non-returning players tribe ever). The La Mina group is boring as hell (and the reason this season isn't ranked higher), but even when Casaya isn't going to tribal, they are still SOOOOOO watchable. Brue and Bobby drinking the wine in the outhouse. Shane's nicotine withdrawal and rock blackberry. Aras screaming at Terry. And of course the introduction of the legendary Cirie. Watching the Casaya tribe vote each other out while trying to fend off Terry's Immunity run also makes the late game super compelling. If only Cirie could have won that fire-making challenge, she'd have been on Winners at War as well. The fact that Shane didn't get on Second Chances is also one of the most frustrating pieces of Survivor history. Infuriating.
Best strategic move: Cirie's legendary 3-2-1 vote to oust Courtney and set herself up nicely at the final five.
Worst strategic move: No one making any attempt to hide the most annoying versions of themselves from prospective jury members.
Who won: Aras.
Who should have won: Cirie if she could have just made the damn fire faster than Danielle.
18. Tocantins (Season 18)
Spoiler-free overview: Set in the South American desert, this season stands out for its locale. It's also got a secret Exile Island cross-tribes alliance, some great blindsides, and a cast full of characters (one of whom claims to slay dragons). No swap or twist, but the characters bring great energy.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Gone are the days of "half the cast is bad" on this list. From here on out, we're working with mostly stacked casts. Thus is the case with Tocantins, which despite having no swap is compelling for its characters and gameplay. There are a few memorable pre-merge boots (Spencer, Sandy) and post-merge we watch the underdog Jalapao team of three snake their way to the end (like three more likable Russells) as the Timbira tribe implodes. The Sierra vs. Tyson match-up, Coach's effervescent stream of BS, and Stephen's nerdy strategy are all a joy to watch. The fact that Tyson, Coach, JT, and Stephen all come back for interesting runs on future seasons also makes this a great origin story of sorts. Justice for poor Taj (who happens to be a member of SWV) who was cut too soon, but the JT vs. Stephen match-up at the final Tribal appeared to be an excellent one until it turned out to be a blowout. There is a slight Pagonging, which is why this isn't higher, but like I said, no bad seasons from here on out.
Best strategic move: Erinn's move to rally the misfits to vote out Tyson when he didn't win immunity at the final eight.
Worst strategic move: Coach's rudeness to his own tribe and immediate desire to vote them out post-merge, which eventually results in his elimination.
Who won: JT.
Who should have won: Really, I would have been fine with JT, Stephen, Erinn, or Taj winning, and you can't say that about a final four often.
17. Philippines (Season 25)
Spoiler-free overview: The season begins with three tribes of six, each led by a former castaway returning for a second chance after being medically evacuated on a previous season. Two separate losing streaks mean that some players get a lot more attention pre-merge. There are a few great characters though and a VERY satisfying finale.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Philippines allows you to basically watch two Palau-esque losing streaks in a row as Denise and Malcolm head to four straight tribals at Matsing before Denise loses three more tribemates pre-merge on Kalabaw. The RC vs. Abi-Maria drama is so fun to watch, and there are plenty of blindsides post-merge as the remnants of Matsing and Kalabaw maneuver through the Tandang tribe, deadset on self-destructing. Mileage varies a lot on how much you enjoy Abi-Maria, Jonathan Penner, and Lisa, all of whom can be grating, and of course there is the spectre of Michael Skupin haunting the season now, but Denise and Malcolm are undeniably fan favorites you can't help but root for. Denise's win after attending every single Tribal Council also provides the season with a fantastic narrative arc.
Best strategic move: Denise voting out Malcolm at the final four, getting rid of her biggest competition.
Worst strategic move: Jonathan not agreeing to a final four with Carter, Michael, and Lisa, thus leading Michael and Lisa to form a final four with Denise and Malcolm instead.
Who won: Denise.
Who should have won: Denise. She went to every tribal.
16. Millennials vs. Gen X (Season 33)
Spoiler-free overview: While previous age-based tribe divisions have led to the immediate elimination of the older castaways, this season panned out much better, with the two groups on a fairly even playing field. Lots of strong strategic minds in the mix in this season of obvious fans, which yields plenty of exciting blindsides. The final three, however, are a bit frustrating given the caliber of the cast.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: I love a season with unpredictable gameplay post-merge, and this season has plenty of that as the Gen X and Millennial alliances are constantly shifting. With an effective swap from two tribes to three, the strategy is more on display than it is in Philippines, and there are a few more exciting characters in Michaela, David, Figgy, Will, Jay, and Bret, all of whom pop onscreen (for good and bad). The steamy Figgy/Taylor "secret" romance. Hannah's panic attacks. Bret coming out to Zeke. This season also saw a rock draw, the tribe evacuated off the island for a cyclone, and an exciting Idol play from David. Unlike Philippines, however, the final Tribal is not quite as compelling as Adam faces off against Hannah and Ken, all three of whom spent most of the game doing others' bidding and none of whom quite have the charisma of their counterparts. But the episodes leading up to the finale here were strong enough to bump it up a slot.
Best strategic move: Adam playing the final Tribal Council well including revealing that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer, something he'd hidden until then out of worry it would cause others to vote him out.
Worst strategic move: Will instantly flipping on the alliance that he'd gone to rocks for only the week before.
Who won: Adam.
Who should have won: Out of the final three, definitely Adam. David, Bret, and Jay, however, were all more compelling.
15. Guatemala (Season 11)
Spoiler-free overview: Following the outpouring of love for Palau's ill-fated Ulong tribe, the show brought back its final two castaways to lead tribes battling out against the impressive backdrop of Guatemalan ruins. This is an incredibly underrated season with plenty of characters who pop right off the screen.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: To this day, I'm confounded by how much Guatemala seemed to disappear as soon as it had aired. Only Stephenie (who had already played on Palau) and Danni (who was needed for Winners at War because she was one of only 15 female winners) have returned despite an incredible cast. The setting (ruins, water infested with crocodiles to the point they needed a cage just to bathe) is top-five of the series. The opening challenge featuring an 11-mile hike is iconic (after which Bobby Jon's eyes rolled back in his head while he was being treated by tribemate and nurse Margaret, only to vote her out shortly after). The pre-merge has an exciting swap and some great fun characters (Blake, Margaret, Brian, Amy). This is the first season with a Hidden Immunity Idol, the first with a secret celebrity player (Gary Hawkins I swear!), and the first with a partial returning cast. Supplementing Stephenie (who becomes the villain here in a Shakespearean twist) and Bobby Jon are Lydia the fishmonger, Judd (whose parting words are some of the best the show has seen), and the conflicted sweetheart Rafe. There's a few duds in the mix, and Stephenie fans certainly won't like watching her get raked over the coals by the jury, but overall this is a great season. Danni does make it to the end on the back of some Immunity Challenge wins, which is slightly annoying, but she's much more likable than Ben or Mike, who achieved similar success.
Best strategic move: Danni tricking Rafe and Stephenie to vote out Judd, Cindy, and Lydia (all of whom were goats) rather than herself.
Worst strategic move: Stephenie's horrible jury management that left everyone furious at her with the exception of Rafe.
Who won: Danni.
Who should have won: Danni.
14. Blood vs. Water (Season 27)
Spoiler-free overview: A half-returnee, half-newbie season in which a tribe of previous players face off against loved ones. The premise works incredibly well as the familial relationships add a lot of weight to the pre-merge, where one tribe cares deeply for the other, and complicates the strategy. Redemption Island is used slightly better here than in its two other iterations, but that does stink up the season a bit.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: I love love love the loved-ones twist. I feel like it gave us two very strong seasons, and I don't know why they haven't ventured back to this setup. Because the two tribes are more interconnected, the strategy is instantly more complicated, and made even more so with redemption island duals, giving Immunity Idol clues to the other tribe, and a tribe swap that jumbles everything up. While a few of the loved ones are duds and only there because they're related to all-stars, some of the newbies (Vytas, Ciera, Hayden) held their own. The Redemption Island twist takes more time than is needed on the series, and although it gives us the Laura and Tina mom alliance, it's a little cumbersome. The Colton quit is also annoying (Jeff Probst would agree), but those things are made up for by Ciera voting out her mom, the Aras/Tyson betrayal, and the first rock draw since Marquesas. Tyson's win doesn't feel preordained, but is incredibly satisfying, and that plus the concept moves this ahead of Guatemala.
Best strategic move: Ciera flipping and forcing a tie at the final six even though it didn't pay off for her in the end.
Worst strategic move: Gervase and Monica never making a move against Tyson, who was clearly the leader of their alliance.
Who won: Tyson.
Who should have won: Tyson.
13. China (Season 15)
Spoiler-free overview: One of the final old-school seasons with one of the show's best locations and themes, and yet with the new school Hidden Immunity Idols fully in play. It's the perfect mix. All of the Chinese iconography is breathtaking, and the cast is stacked. They did have to eat bats though...
Spoiler-filled thoughts: China, like Tocantins, is giving old-school theme and old-school cast. It's just a little better theme and a little better cast. The pre-merge characters like Chicken (DAMN!), WWE's Ashley, and Christian radio DJ Leslie are all delivering exactly what they need to. The swap screws over a few players unjustly, but the Jaime/Peih-Gee puzzle challenge throw is one for the ages. James gets blindsided with two Immunity Idols in his bag, Courtney gets revenge on Jean-Robert, and every challenge seems to involve naked people mud wrestling. Also Courtney is one of the top 10 confessional givers on the show and so points must be given to China for her acerbic wit. Todd has just a little too much control over the whole game, and never feels in danger as he heads to the win, but the post-merge isn't a straight Pagonging. Also that dragon Immunity Challenge is one of the best the show's done.
Best strategic move: Todd's masterful final Tribal Council over Amanda, who had played a better game than him in a number of ways. He pointed out his strategy clearly and owned his game while she waffled.
Worst strategic move: James not playing either of his Immunity Idols at the final seven, even when the supposed target Erik won immunity.
Who won: Todd.
Who should have won: I desperately want to say Courtney because she's, like, a queen, and I once saw her on the street and nearly passed out, but Todd is the correct answer.
12. Survivor 42 (Season 42)
Spoiler-free overview: The format of this season is nearly identical to Survivor 41, which I hated, but what separates the two by such a wide gap is THIS CAST. This is a phenomenal cast, not only of characters but strategic players. Even with the shitty twists, the shortened season, and those stupid Immunity phrases, it's an instant classic.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: This season should not have worked. Really, production did everything they possibly could to make a bad season (see my Survivor 41 blurb), but a great cast can cover a multitude of sins. After the disappointing and slightly confusing removal of Jackson in the first episode, we got a string of fun eliminations that somehow were suspenseful even in the three tribe/no swap format that I detested in 41. Both the Jenny and Daniel ties were compelling. The chaotic merge(?) episode overcame the dumb hourglass twist to give us a complicated Lydia blindside, and I love the post-merge split tribal. Jeff is leaning into a little too much social commentary/grandstanding in the wake of Island of the Idols imho, but I love the diversity here and the various layers it creates. Post Tori's exit (what a character she was. BRING HER BACK), the season did the impossible, gave us eight castaways who all had a compelling winner's narrative and a path to the end (again the opposite of 41 where even the winner didn't have a narrative). The blindsides of Hai, Drea, and Omar were all exciting. The Lindsay boot was heartbreaking, and to see someone like Jonathan make it so close to the end was unprecedented. Romeo then beating him in the final Immunity was delicious irony. Maryanne's final Tribal performance was one of the best in recent history, and even though the lack of reunion annoyed me, I was high off her win. I can see why this season would frustrate some purists (and yes I'd also like to go back to the final two tribal, the reunion, the 39 days, and the opening credits with the players' faces), but for modern Survivor, this was pretty damn good.
Best strategic move: Maryanne executing the perfect 3-2-2 vote to oust Omar.
Worst strategic move: Hai and Mike voting out alliance members for no apparent reason.
Who won: Maryanne.
Who should have won: Maryanne. (But also I kinda wanted Lindsay to win too.)
11. San Juan Del Sur (Season 29)
Spoiler-free overview: The second iteration of the loved ones season, only with all new players rather than returnees. This evens the playing field a bit, and the axing of Redemption Island also makes this one slightly better. The final few episodes are FIRE, and this is one of the most satisfying winner arcs of the entire show.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: I'm just gonna say it. Not a single dud in this cast. Everyone is bringing something, whether it be Val's two Idols, Dale inadvertently getting his daughter voted out, or Drew throwing an Immunity Challenge only to be voted out. This has all the magic of Blood vs. Water in its layered game dynamics without any of the snoozy loved ones. The duels instead of reward challenges didn't really pay off, and there is a three-episode arc post-merge where Wes, Reed, and Alec all get sent home in a slightly boring Pagonging, but those are small quibbles. Natalie's hatred of John Rocker, her quest for revenge for Jeremy, her voting Alec over Keith "by accident," her blindside of Jon, her Idol play for Jaclyn, and her final tribal performance create an epic one-woman show that leaves you giddy. And without so many unnecessary twists, it pushes ahead of 42.
Best strategic move: Natalie giving her Idol to Jaclyn to oust Baylor at the final five.
Worst strategic move: The men being rude to Jaclyn early on, causing her and Jon to eliminate the men and stick with the women.
Who won: Natalie.
Who should have won: Natalie.
10. Cambodia: Second Chances (Season 31)
Spoiler-free overview: After the results of a fan vote were revealed at the Worlds Apart reunion, these 20 players who had lost once returned for a second chance at glory. Almost everyone is playing extremely hard from the jump, and it results in episode after episode of blindsides. I'd love to see another second chances season stat.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: To go back to my returning players season theory, the reason why this is top 10 caliber is because all of these castaways are on a fairly even playing field going in. Sure, some are slightly better known, but when it comes to threat level, they all lost (mostly due to poor gameplay) and returned with the same mission. The shift to Cambodia from the Pacific Islands makes the locale pop, and the two swaps plus an early merge make the alliances incredibly fluid. This season is the coming out party for Kelley Wentworth, who proves herself a top-tier player and executes a delicious blindside on Andrew Savage. We get more Abi-Maria chaos, more Stephen pontificating, more Chaos Kass, more underdog Spencer, and more Keith being Keith. Kimmi's boot at the final six due to Idols is slightly annoying, and the final three is a bit boring without Kelley, but the road to the finale is paved with gold. I truly believe any of these returning players could have won this season (something not the case for All-Stars or Game Changers), which made watching them duke it out so fun.
Best strategic move: Kelley Wentworth's use of the Idol at the final 12 to cancel nine votes and eliminate Andrew Savage.
Worst strategic move: Tasha and Spencer going along to vote out Abi-Maria at the final seven when she was the weakest player there and the only person they could have beat in the end.
Who won: Jeremy.
Who should have won: Jeremy, because he did keep Tasha and Spencer in place, but if Kelley had won that final Immunity Challenge, she would have been incredibly worthy.
9. Borneo (Season 1)
Spoiler-free overview: The original season of Survivor. The one that started it all. In some ways this season is laughably outdated. Alliances, Idols, and twists are nowhere to be found, and much of the focus is on the actual survival elements. The cast is incredible though, and it was the viral success of this first season and its controversial ending that birthed a 20-plus-year-long run.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: How do you even begin to compare this season to the rest? Jeff wasn't commentating the Immunity Challenges, people were voting alphabetically, and there was a giant box of cash in the middle of Tribal Council. In some ways it was kind of boring, and the production values were ridiculously low in comparison to later seasons, but the raw, gritty pioneer quality of Borneo was something that could never be reproduced. These people weren't trying to make good reality TV, they were simply trying to survive, and that's a very interesting distinction. The show is lucky that they got Rudy and Richard forced to work together, that Colleen and Greg struck up a friendship, and that Sue gave her snakes and rats speech. Those moments are iconic in a universal "I've never watched Survivor, but I know about that way." The gameplay is weak with the whole Pagong tribe refusing to even believe that there is an alliance on the Tagi side, but you can't dock them points. The sheer uniqueness of this season along with its groundbreaking moments will always make this a top 10 season imho.
Best strategic move: Kelly, Richard, Sue, and Rudy forming the very first Survivor alliance and basically voting everyone else out.
Worst strategic move: The Pagong tribe not realizing they were getting picked off until it was far too late.
Who won: Richard.
Who should have won: Richard, the only person who was really playing the game.
8. The Amazon (Season 6)
Spoiler-free overview: The Amazon is the first old-school season with a post-merge game that didn't mostly follow the path of one alliance voting out the other. This dynamic gameplay inspired much of what followed in later seasons, and a strong cast and interesting setting also give it some bonus points.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: The first five seasons of Survivor followed the same basic format with an interesting pre-merge, a boring few episodes post-merge, and then the main alliance turning on itself at the end. In The Amazon, Rob Cesternino singlehandedly developed a new method of play, in which alliances were more dynamic and suited to his individual needs. It is thrilling to watch and creates what is still one of the most exciting post-merges ever, with blindsides on Deena, Alex, Christy, Heidi, Butch, and finally Rob himself on the way to the end. Most of the characters (with the exception of finalist Matthew) are intriguing, and the Amazon jungle is a fun setting (complete with pirañas). We've got Heidi and Jenna stripping for peanut butter; we've got the first deaf castaway Christy calling them evil step sisters. The shelter burns down. A granola bar is smuggled in and causes a lot of consternation. And of course Jeff rides into the reunion on a Jet Ski. Jenna's win over Rob is disappointing, but doesn't really ruin the season. After all it feels slightly poetic that after all his work, he gets got right before crossing the finish line.
Best strategic move: Rob's flipping strategy playing two alliances off one another to vote out Alex, Christy, Heidi, and Butch.
Worst strategic move: Alex telling Rob that he was going to vote him out at the final four, giving Rob the time to vote out Alex first.
Who won: Jenna.
Who should have won: Rob.
7. David vs. Goliath (Season 37)
Spoiler-free overview: This is the best all newbie season in the last few years. The theme, pitting privileged "Goliaths" vs. the weaker, lower-class "Davids," is one of their more doofy ideas, especially since there are plenty of head-scratchers that don't quite fit on both tribes. If you can get past this, however, you'll meet with plenty of dynamic characters, great strategy, and Survivor's most iconic jacket.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: The ridiculous theme aside, this season is chaotic fun (or maybe the theme adds to that). In the tradition of Gabon, Panama, and Guatemala, David vs. Goliath has all kinds of bonkers people playing well/poorly in a scramble for the cash. On the smart side we've got the likes of Mike White, Nick, and Alison, trying to play measured, strategic games, but those are constantly thrown into flux when the likes of Angelina, Gabby, and Karl inject chaos into the plans. It's like the perfect mix of salty and sweet, with blindsides galore, exciting Idol plays, and Angelina's grandstanding about rice. One of my favorite moments in all of Survivor is Angelina trying to get a jacket from Natalie after voting her out. And I haven't even mentioned Christian, Davie, and future White Lotus star Alec. The fact that only Nick from this season has played twice is an outrage. GIVE US MORE ANGELINA, YOU COWARDS!
Best strategic move: Carl's use of the Idol nullifier to eliminate Dan.
Worst strategic move: Angelina's CONSTANT talk of her rice negotiation and thinking she should win because of that.
Who won: Nick.
Who should have won: Nick OR Mike OR (dare I say) Angelina? No, probably not Angelina, but also just imagine her on Winners at War arguing with Tony and Boston Rob. Speaking of...
6. Winners at War (Season 40)
Spoiler-free overview: Twenty of the previous 38 winners were brought back to compete against one another for a $2 million prize! Sure there are some side-eye inducing twists like the Edge of Extinction and fire tokens, but watching 20 (19?) great players duke it out was always going to be exciting.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: This season was such a thrill, especially because plenty of people I never thought I'd see on the show again (Yul, Parvati, Ethan, Kim, Amber, Denise) were all back in the cast. And to my evenness theory, with the exception perhaps of Boston Rob, Parvati, and Sandra, this season began with an even playing field. The Sophie blindside, Denise's queen-slaying of Sandra singlehandedly, the extended family visit, Natalie's Idol play. The season was just stacked front to back with incredible moments. I could have done without Ben (were JT, Todd, Earl, and Aras not available), and the Edge of Extinction twist was slightly annoying, but those are small complaints in the midst of an epic battle. I don't know what to think about Natalie's return to the game after being voted out, and I think Michele's capabilities were somehow underrated again, but the Tony win is justified, and the fact that he managed to beat so many lethal threats is a testament to his ability. We'll never see a cast of players this good at strategy again. Treasure it.
Best strategic move: Tony blindsiding Sophie with a 4-3-2 votes split.
Worst strategic move: Ben offering himself to be voted out at the final five.
Who won: Tony.
Who should have won: Can I say Michele? I feel like there was some bias against her social game going on because she appeared "weaker." But ultimately happy with Tony. A Natalie win would have been a little too close to Edge of Extinction for comfort.
5. Micronesia: Fan vs. Favorites (Season 16)
Spoiler-free overview: The original fans vs. favorites season had a stacked cast of favorites as well as a fun group of newbies who, while not necessarily great players, provided plenty of iconic Survivor moments. This is also a season that showcases two of the greatest players ever working masterfully.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: The incredible quality and cult status built around this season is easily proven by the fact I GUARANTEE there are comments down below claiming that ranking this fifth is too low. These top five seasons are not only the best of Survivor, but I would argue they are some of the best seasons of television as a whole. Eliza's "Thats a f***ing stick" to Jason. Ozzy being voted out with two Idols. Amanda and Parvati using an Idol to boot Alexis. These are all blisteringly brilliant moments, and they PALE in comparison to the best scene in all of Survivor when Cirie, Natalie, Parvati, and Amanda convince Erik to give up his Individual Immunity and proceed to vote him out. There is nothing else like it! The final two instead of a final three robs queen Cirie of her win, but in the process gives Parvati hers. The way that both Parvati and Cirie are showcased here is a testament to the fact they are two of the greatest of all time (and Amanda isn't half bad either). The only reason why this season isn't higher is that on the rewatch, you realize that Fairplay, Chet, Kathy, Jonathan, and James all either quit or are medically evacuated, which is a fourth of the cast. This doesn't detract from the beauty of the season, but it does rob us of some Tribal Councils.
Best strategic move: Cirie's string of incredible moves convincing alliances to target Yau-man, Joel, and Ozzy for her gain before coming up with the plan to get Erik to give up his necklace.
Worst strategic move: Erik giving away his Immunity Necklace to Natalie at the final five and being voted out.
Who won: Parvati.
Who should have won: Parvati or Cirie.
4. Kaoh Rong (Season 32)
Spoiler-free overview: Kaoh Rong is one of two beauty vs. brains vs. brawn seasons (another wonky theme that doesn't quite work), but the cast does not have a single dud in the mix, the strategy is exciting, there are plenty of blindsides, and the ending is one that fans will be debating for decades to come. If you are looking for a great first season to start with, this is also a wonderful entry point.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: There is not a dull character or a dull episode in this season. You cannot say that about most of these seasons (including Micronesia). Need proof? We've got Darnell pooping in the ocean, a worm burrowing in Jen's ear before she stands on her stool and shouts at Tribal Council, Liz's comeuppance after she parades around top dog, Caleb's medical evacuation in the most lethal challenge in the show's history, and Alecia's feuding with Scot. And those are just the five players eliminated before the swap. Debbie, Michele, Aubry, and Tai are top-tier Survivor characters. Tai's betrayal of Scot with the super Idol, Michele's voting out Julia, and the Aubry vs. Cydney fire-making challenge are also exquisite television. And just when a boring end (Aubry in the finals with Tai and Joe) seemed inevitable, Joe's inability to poop had him evacuated, and we got the astonishing Michele vs. Aubry match-up that will have people debating strategy vs. social game (and the concept of a bitter jury) forever. There isn't a ton of twists here to muck things up, and the cast is pure gold.
Best strategic move: Aubry convincing Tai to vote out Scot, thus eliminating a competitor and Tai's chance of using the Super Idol.
Worst strategic move: Tai's wishy-washy playing that managed to piss off every single player on the jury.
Who won: Michele.
Who should have won: Michele or Aubry. Only you can decide.
3. Cagayan (Season 28)
Spoiler-free overview: The original beauty vs. brains vs. brawn season was just as good as its successor (perhaps they should bring the theme back). This cast is just as fire, and the post-merge blindsides are lethal. Plus this season sets up so many great narratives to come in following seasons.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Basically everything Kaoh Rong has, Cagayan has (and might do it better). There is a reason why CBS sent this season over to Netflix during the pandemic. It's ridiculously watchable, from the implosion of the brains tribe that lead to J'Tia dumping the rice in the fire to Woo's baffling choice to bring Tony to the end over Chaos Kass. Lindsey's hatred of Trish. Tony's Spy Shack. Sarah and Tony's "Cops R Us" alliance. There's so much great stuff going on, and the Tony/Sarah dynamic plays out over three seasons, with the Spencer/Kass/Tasha relationship rearing its head again in Second Chances. The blindsides of LJ, Jefra, and Trish are shocking, and Tony's improbable win after bouncing back and forth between alliances is shocking but deserved. The beauty tribe here (minus Morgan and Brice, who are ICONS) is a little snoozy, and that's what keeps this season from the top two spots, but even their boot episodes are interesting despite their blandness. And really, Kass's commentary over the whole season is the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae. I could use her commentary on my entire life. The woman is reading everyone to filth, and I'm sitting there cackling.
Best strategic move: All of Tony's Idol posturing, basically making it impossible for anyone to vote him out.
Worst strategic move: Woo taking Tony to the finals instead of Kass, who was widely disliked.
Who won: Tony.
Who should have won: Either Woo or Kass, because Tony should not have been in that final two.
2. Heroes vs. Villains (Season 20)
Spoiler-free overview: This is the best Survivor cast ever assembled. These are the all-stars of the all-stars, and we will never get another cast this great. (Winners at War for having great strategic minds did not have as many dynamic characters.) They are divided (a smidge arbitrarily) into heroes and villains, and the villains in particular are working hard to earn their title. Nearly every episode is pure gold, and the moves executed here are exceptional.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: This is the greatest returnee season, and I’d argue the most even playing field. Every one of these people deserves to be here, and even the early boots are delivering as requested. Even without a tribe swap, there is plenty of action in the first half with the Rob vs. Russell war on the villains side and the heroes trying to communicate across tribal lines. Tyson manages to vote himself out. Stephenie dislocates her shoulder and pops it back in. Sandra tricks Russell into voting out Coach. Cirie is voted out early, and we don’t even mind that much because the cast is so stellar. Post-JT’s dunderheaded move to give his idol to Russell, we get the infamous Parvati double Idol play to earn the villains the advantage post-merge, and we’re off to the races. Danielle and Amanda wrestling for the Idol clue in bed. Sandra tries desperately to keep the heroes from shooting themselves in the foot, but they seem addicted to it. The sole reason this season isn’t ranked number one is because of the heroes' pitiful performance post-merge, which doesn’t give the villains much of a fight, but luckily they are fighting enough amongst themselves to keep us interested. The Russell vs. Sandra struggle (“I’m agaaaainst you”) is one of my favorite rivalries, and the way she constantly snows him (while burning his hat) is so delicious. The final three is perhaps the best in Survivor history with Russell, Parvati, and Sandra all playing stellar (yet unique) games. It’s also interesting to think about the alternate timeline where Jerri wins that final Immunity Challenge (she lost by inches) and possibly wins the season, as the jury seemed to like her. I am a Sandra apologist, so her win makes me jump for joy, and her commentary the whole season (along with Courtney's) really adds some extra zest.
Best strategic move: Parvati's double Idol play ousting JT and securing a Villains majority.
Worst strategic move: The many times the Heroes tribe shot themselves in the foot by not voting out Russell, JT's giving the Idol to Russell, and Tyson's getting himself voted out of the game. Lots of stupidity here.
Who won: Sandra.
Who should have won: Sandra or Parvati. Either being the first two-time winner would have been electric.
1. Pearl Islands (Season 7)
Spoiler-free overview: This is the best season of Survivor imho. The cast not only contains three of the most iconic castaways ever, but is packed with eccentrics. There isn’t a bad episode in the mix, especially post-merge where the gameplay swings all over. The pirate theme is hands down the best theme the show has ever chosen, and it is executed to perfection from start to finish. And then there is the dead grandma bit.
Spoiler-filled thoughts: Let me walk you through why this season remains unmatched. From the jump, we are on another level. They announce this season is pirate-themed, and they are ALL IN on the theme. They throw the castaways off a boat in the middle of what they think is going to be a press shoot (iconic), then they have to haggle with local villagers (one of whom tries to marry Trish) for supplies (iconic), Rupert steals the other team's shoes (iconic), and then for the opening Immunity Challenge, they’re pushing cannons through the jungle, and one tribe strips naked (iconic). I love the buried treasure, the kidnapping, and a snake named Balboa (so well themed). Pre-merge we get Burton throwing a challenge only to be voted out. We get “Skinny Ryan” and Boy Scout Leader Lil and Johnny Fairplay’s bestie Trish all being sent home. (Fairplay is drunk at at least one of these Tribal Councils.) But then comes the Outcast twist in which both beefy Burton and the weepy, chaotic Lil are voted back into the game while two of the season’s least interesting characters get eliminated in one swoop (with Jeff’s dramatic brow beating of Osten for wanting to leave). Post-merge we get the sweet, sweet revenge of Lil telling Andrew, “I’ll let you know.” We get the Rupert blindside that causes Sandra to angrily dump out the fish Rupert caught. Sandra is dragging Tijuana through the bushes to spy on Burton and Johnny and then later convinces Darrah (who is iconic for having such a thick accent you can’t understand a word she’s saying) to vote with her and Lil to boot Burton. Lil and Fairplay get drunk on a yacht together. Sandra fakes being sad to can Burton. Sandra shouts, “I can get loud too — what the f*ck!” Rupert sews himself a skirt. And it cannot be overstated how the whole season is PIRATE-THEMED. The challenges. The rewards. The Tribal Council set. The art direction here is so spot on and BEGS the question as to why they don’t try harder on other seasons. The Johnny Fairplay dead grandma bit ranks with the Black Widow’s elimination of Erik and the “Snakes and Rats” speech as the greatest moment from the series. And hate me if you like, but the Sandra, Lil, Fairplay final three is mind-bendingly good. Sandra’s win is chef’s-kiss perfection, and there is a reason why her two winning seasons are ranked so high. The woman’s confessionals are fire (not tokens). BRB — going to watch this one again.
Best strategic move: Sandra creating her iconic "anybody but me" strategy.
Worst strategic move: Burton leaving Lil, Darrah, and Sandra behind during a reward to let them plot against him when he didn't have the votes.
Who won: Sandra.
Who should have won: Sandra. The queen stays queen. Adios.
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